Photo credit by !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre, Western Cape, South Africa

Amakhala Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Pro-African, pro-travel #BeEbolaSmart campaign launched

Luxury inbound travel operator Safari365, in partnership with Cape Town Twitter celebrity James Costello (@jamescapetown), has launched a pro-African, pro-travel social media campaign titled #BeEbolaSmart, in an aim to alleviate fears and sensationalism regarding the current Ebola outbreak.

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According to Safari365 founder Marcus Brian, there is altogether a deceptive accompaniment to the outbreak. “Ebola has become the sound bite go-to of sensationalist mass media. It is impossible to escape mention of the “African disease” on Social Media, in newspapers, on television and even in casual conversation. The net result of this fear-mongering and (often) factual misquoting is the almost invisible, yet very real landslide erosion of the hard-won inroads many have made in their work in African tourism.”

“Using the hashtag, we’re sending out a blanket appeal to all who are touched by this misdirected fear and hype to take a photo with one single Ebola factoid printed or written on a piece of paper and then tweeted/Facebooked to @Safari365. This will then be shared through social media to help create enlightenment, quell misgivings and swamp naysayers with cold, hard facts!”

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Travellers and tour operators alike can already find several photos shared on Safari365′s social media as well as its website, and are asked participate in this effort for the greater good of African tourism.

Marcus concludes “As residents of the awe-inspiring continent of Africa, we are heartbroken about the presence of the disease Ebola. We eagerly await the day when all traces of this virus have been eradicated. We are extremely concerned that the very real fallout of this mass hysteria will be the direct effects felt on the most vulnerable of tourism workers – tour consultants, lodge staff, porters, trackers, cooks, handicraft and curio makers, safari guides and many more of the supported communities”.